What is digital broadcasting?
Digital broadcasting occurs through radio frequencies where multiplex transmitters are used “to
allow the reception of multiple channels on a single frequency range” (CA,n.d.). The CA states
that the main difference between analogue television and digital television is that analogue
transmission “requires a large amount of bandwidth to transmit sound and picture while the
digital transmission needs less but can “carry more content and provide better quality pictures
and sound”
Challenges Kenya Faced in its quest to fully implement Digital broadcasting
Digital migration has faced many challenges and because it is not optional, most countries have had to be
seen struggling to achieve its goals. Digital migration comes with challenges ranging from lack
of proper awareness creation to deadline issues and unexpected outcomes. It has been observed
that countries that have successfully digitized their broadcasting have reportedly spent colossal amounts
of money in creating awareness among the citizens. For example, the United Kingdom took
seven years of educating masses and was the first country in the world to migrate to digital
transmission. Adequate funding and good communication strategies are required to achieve a smooth
transition.
i)
The deadline posed as a challenge due to unpreparedness of media houses, media
regulators, and the governments. The Kenyan leading media houses cited that the
deadline was so close for them. The three media houses argued that the installation of
digital infrastructure was too expensive to be dismantled and replaced. This was not
specific to Kenya; Okon (n.d) supports that a few countries in the world beat their set
deadlines. There are also the financial challenges that face both the media houses and the
governments. For example in Kenya, the government had limited resources to carry out
protracted sensitization campaign.
ii)
In addition to these is the fact that most Kenyans may not afford set top boxes which are
free to air given that the level of unemployment and therefore poverty is very high. The
argument was if something was not done to salvage the poor after digitization, media
houses would lose their audience and their business alike.
iii)
In Kenya, its uniqueness has presented specific challenges that are not new to its social,
political and economic environment. The first of these is the prospects of corruption.
This emanated from the question of tendering and unexplained reasons as to why foreign
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companies especially from China were awarded digitization tenders and the government so much
protected them. The three media houses demanded a share in the content distribution and the way
the case has been handled was said to be evident of some interest of trading with Chinese
companies and the will to discredit local investors. As a result, the process has been slowed
and Kenyans suffered blackout amidst the tag of war.
iv)
Another obstacle that has faced digitization in Kenya is the fact that Kenyan media is
largely private and thus, the government has little force in the industry. The three media
houses, the nation media, the standard group and the royal media group control over 90
percent of the audience and thus it becomes difficult for the state to make decisions that
are not in accord with their interest. Moreover, the fact that the media, under the
analogue regime has relied on foreign content poses a challenge as to how they will
source their content once they digitize. As a result, foreign media distribute much of the content
in Kenya because none of them has ever broadcast internationally. Therefore, the media
industry is yet to come into terms with the revolution that will come with digitization and
required adequate preparation to ensure they have a content that can compete
internationally. The government policies on migration were an obstacle in digital migration.
The policy on migration was not friendly to private media houses because of politics and
misinformation. This was complicated by the prospects of some corruption and lack of
transparency in the tendering process. Regardless of the above challenges, Kenya has no
option but to migrate to digital broadcasting
Milestones of Digital Migration
The site Digital Kenya notes that the switch to Digital Television Broadcasting is a government
initiative brought about by a decision made at the Regional Radio Conference of 2006 in
Geneva, Switzerland.
The site notes the following milestones:

A taskforce was established by the Kenyan government in March 2007 in order to
prepare the country for a smooth transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

A year later in March 2008, a report containing recommendations was forwarded by the
taskforce to the government for adoption. They formed a Digital Television Committee in
order to ensure that the recommendations forwarded would be implemented.
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
The first broadcast signal distributor through government authorization was KBC in
2009. The digital migration process in Kenya hence began on December 9th 2009 when
the signal was launched thus adopting DVB-T technology.

This was later upgraded to DVB-T2 in December 2010. This upgraded version offers
better sound and quality; has a capacity for more channels; a wider geographical
coverage; improved security features and the ability to accommodate high definition,
standard definition, mobile TV and digital audio.

Subsequent forums with broadcasters, vendors and other collaborators were held in
August 2011. Afterward, a second signal distributor was licensed in October 2011. This
was the Pan African Network Group (Kenya) Co. Ltd.

In 2012, the DVB-T2 signal went on air in Nairobi and its environs in February. The
waiver of import duty on set-top boxes was approved in June for the financial year of
2012-2013. Earlier in June, a large scale Consumer Awareness Campaign was launched.
Later in August, the DVB-T signal was terminated.
According to the Annex 7 Digital Migration Status Report Kenya is currently privy to the ITU
Agreement to comply with the switch - off deadline by achieving the following strategies:

Development of the necessary legal context for digital migration.

Roll out of the Digital Terrestrial signal by the signal distributors.
 Authorization of more vendors to ensure the accessibility to set-top boxes.

Continue the consumer awareness campaigns throughout Kenya
VIDEO STREAMING
Define video streaming
Video streaming is a type of media streaming in which the data from a video file is continuously
delivered via the Internet to a remote user. It allows a video to be viewed online without being
downloaded on a host computer or device.
Video streaming works on data streaming principles, where all video file data is compressed and
sent to a requesting device in small chunks. Video streaming typically requires a compatible
video player that connects with a remote server, which hosts a prerecorded or pre-stored media
file or live feed. The server uses specific algorithms to compress the media file or data for
transfer over the network or Internet connection.
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The size of each data stream depends on various factors, including actual file size, bandwidth
speed and network latency. In turn, the user or client player decompresses and displays the
streamed data, allowing a user to begin viewing the file before the entire video data or file is
received.
Models of Video streaming
i)
Progressive download- known as HTTP streaming. Video downloaded to a computer
then saved temporarily on hard drive
Streaming protocol (RTSP)- video is never stored on viewers computer. It is
transferred in chunks as video player requests them.
Adaptive bitrate streaming- this type of streaming depends entirely on what you want
to do and who is watching your videos. If you are only streaming to desktop users,
and copyright security isn’t a concern
ii)
iii)
Features of Video Streaming
-
pay per view
protection and privacy
content management
Real time analysis
Uploading and encording
Live streaming
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